Is there a device to measure distance on foot and on horseback?

Question

what have you heard of and used and what is the less expensive but not to the point where you are trading price for quality

Answer 1

If you were walking on the ground, you can always use a pedometer ($7 at walmart) and it will track your steps.  You can put in your average "stride" length, so then it will convert # of steps to miles.  I suppose you could wear one while riding, and see how many "steps" it registers for a full stride on your horse when its walking, and then put in the measurement for the horse's average stride.  It's not going to be super accurate, but at least give you a general idea.

Answer 2

The best thing I have found so far is a Garmin GPS etrex.  They are about $80 on sale and $90 to$100 regular price.  That would be the base model.  They tell you how far you have gone, where you have gone, and how fast you are going.  They create a little map of the place and use satellites to show you where to go if you get lost.  One disadvantage...They do not work great if the trees are too thick.  They will sort of pick up a signal here and lose it there.  It is still enough to keep you from getting lost but you may be off a little on distance since it will assume a straight line from where it lost the signal to where it picked it up.  but that usually isn't more than a hundred yards or so if the trees are really thick.

I doubt that a horse would activate a pedometer very well.  It probably would in the trot or gallop but the walk would probably be too smooth (they operate by swinging a weight inside) and anyway to use them you have to know your stride length but a horse's stride length changes by gait.  Thus a pedometer would do you absolutely no good.